A Kitchen Must Have

I recently acquired a kitchen tool that I have long desired. The OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline. I first fell in love with the mandoline when I saw Martha Stewart use it in one of her recipes several years ago (back when her show was good). It wasn't the OXO mandoline that I saw, but some $200 Italian made mandoline. The efficiency and perfection with which Martha sliced was awe inspiring. Okay, well, maybe that's a bit much, but for a cooking nerd it was so cool! Fast forward a few years to when I began really reading Cooks Illustrated, and low and behold they did a review of mandolines. Their favorite choice was the OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline.

I greatly value Cooks Illustrated's product reviews. They try a whole spectrum of tools and test them in a multitude of ways. I regularly consult with them before purchasing anything for my kitchen, and I have to say that I have not found them to be wrong.

So, with all that background, I received my mandoline a few days ago and used it for the first time last night. I made Cottage Potatoes (Nourishing Traditions recipe)- a favorite of my husband. I sailed through the preparation of the potatoes- literally less than five minutes of slicing- and they were all an even 1/4" thick! The mandoline is also well marked, comes with a few different blades, and is easy to take a part.

The best part- a modest price of $39.99!

It's been a long time

It's been a while since I last posted, well, anything.

Starting in November things got busy, as my dad and step-mom came to visit and then Thanksgiving was upon us. Thanksgiving required a trip down to Houston (not my fave place) to spend time with the in-laws for most of the weekend.

Then December came, and with it some interesting news regarding my husband's job. Not the good interesting. So, we are job hunting again (I do this for him during the day) and will in all likelihood end up moving. That was the beginning of December. Then we went to California for roughly ten days to be out there during Christmas.  Christmas was okay. It wasn't horrible or anything. I just don't like going places for holidays. It makes it seem like it never happened. I don't get to cook, be around my tree, or anything. It's just different, and it's not the kind of different I like.

While we were out in California I think we caught Chris' grandma's cold. So we were sick for New Year's.

During the holiday season I got commissioned to knit a pair of hats and mittens for my nephews. They came out fine. I just wasn't too jazzed about the project, but as I am told they were a hit. The boys were running around Christmas morning wearing them indoors.

I've also started knitting some legwarmers for myself. They are really cool looking- it's a braid pattern- which I've never done before. I'm excited about them, plus it'll be nice to actually knit something for myself.

Well, now I'm getting tired. I'll try and post something soon. And eventually I'll remember to take pictures of the kombucha and other cool stuff I do in the kitchen.

~Until next time